Abstract [en]

Small samples from European aspen (Populus tremula L.) were impregnated with carbohydrates oxidized by Fenton’s reagent using water in a vacuum, followed by heating in an oven at 103°C. An antiswelling efficiency (ASE) of around 45% for wood treated with oxidized glucose and 35% for wood treated with oxidized sucrose was obtained. Samples treated with oxidized carbohydrates gave water repellent effectiveness (WRE) values over 35%. The decrease in cell wall thickness during impregnation was about 18% less in the presence of oxidized glucose than samples only treated with Fenton’s reagent. An ASE of 20% for the wood samples that had been treated with oxidized glucose was obtained after 7 days of soaking in water. The reasons for the improvement in dimensional stability are discussed in this work.